Heritage Centre

Free admission makes this little museum in Grampound a proper bargain for families looking to fill a rainy afternoon. The Heritage Centre focuses on local history, though don't expect flashy interactive displays - this is old-school community museum territory with display cases and information boards telling the story of this ancient market town.

Grampound itself sits on the old coaching route between Truro and St Austell, and the centre does a decent job of explaining how the town earned its living over the centuries. You'll learn about the medieval bridge that gave the place its name and see artifacts from when this was a proper rotten borough sending MPs to Parliament despite having barely any voters.

Kids might find it a bit dry unless they're already keen on history, but it's worth an hour if you're staying at nearby sites like Heligan Caravan and Camping Park or The Meadows Campsite. The volunteers who run it are genuinely enthusiastic about local stories, which makes all the difference.

Best combined with a walk around the town itself - the old bridge and church are both worth a look. It's the sort of place that gives you a proper sense of how Cornwall's inland communities developed, away from all the fishing village romance of the coast.